Locals in the NFL Playoffs: Redemption tour takes Eric Weddle, Matt Gay to Super Bowl

AROUND THE SHIELD — Another game, another game-winner for Orem High product Matt Gay.

Next stop for the former University of Utah kicker? The Super Bowl in Los Angeles.

The Rams kicker ripped his second field goal from 30 yards out, and fellow Utah grad Eric Weddle made a team-high nine tackles and a tackle for loss, to lift the Los Angeles Rams by division rival San Francisco 17-14 in the NFC Championship game at SoFi Stadium.

With the win, the Rams become the second team in NFL history to host a Super Bowl game, which they'll do in two weeks against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Not bad for the ex-Utah Valley soccer star who was cut by the team that drafted him in 2020. After being selected in the fifth round by Tampa Bay in the 2019 draft, Gay was waived by the Buccaneers a year later and spent most of the season on the Colts' practice squad.

The Rams signed Gay as an injury replacement in November 2020, and the rest is history. The 2017 Lou Groza Award winner has made over 85% of his field-goal attempts, including 3-of-4 a week ago to eliminate his former team and advance to Sunday's championship game.

Now the first-time Pro Bowl selection has the Rams one win away from the most improbable ending: a Super Bowl title on home soil.

Think he's hyped about it?

​"You can't write the story any better," said LA quarterback Matthew Stafford, one year removed from his own tour of redemption that started with a trade with Detroit. "I'm at a loss for words. I'm just having a blast playing ball with these guys and, shoot, we've got one more at the home stadium. Let's get it done."

For Weddle, the miracle ride continues, as well.

Just three weeks ago, the former Utah star was entrenched in retirement, playing pick-up basketball with his friends, coaching his son's Ute Conference team, and managing the Weddle Taxi service of games, practices and dance recitals near his Salt Lake home.

Now he'll get a chance to play for his first Super Bowl ring in the 37-year-old native of Fontana, California's, prestigious career.

What a month it's been.

"You can't make this up," Weddle told the Deseret News by phone prior to Sunday's NFC Championship. "All the things that have aligned. I'm just taking it and running with it."

In the AFC championship game, the Chiefs were on their way to a third Super Bowl appearance for head coach and former BYU offensive lineman Andy Reid, jumping out to a 21-3 lead en route to a 21-10 halftime advantage.

But the Bengals held Kansas City without a touchdown the rest of the way, clinching Cincinnati's first Super Bowl appearance since 1989 with Evan McPherson's 31-yard field goal in overtime.

Reid took responsibility for the loss, including "calling the wrong play" late in the second half that took the Chiefs from scoring position to the Rams' first touchdown on Joe Burrows' 41-yard strike to Samaje Perine.

"It's my responsibility to make sure that we do better offensively and as a team," Reid said. "Obviously didn't get that done in the second half. I've got to do a better job there.

"We'll go back and look at things and do better going into the offseason. … Our players were disappointed."

Here's how former college and high school football players from Utah performed during Championship Sunday.

AFC Championship: Cincinnati 27, Kansas City 24 (OT)

Bengals

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State: Active, but did not play.
• Xavier Su'a-Filo, OG, Timpview: Practice squad.

Chiefs

• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Reserve safety played mostly on special teams.
• Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU: Reserve safety made one tackle on defense.
• Marcus Kemp, WR, Layton: Reserve receiver played mostly on special teams.
• Darwin Thompson, RB, Utah State: Practice squad.
• Matt Bushman, TE, BYU: Practice squad.

NFC Championship: LA Rams 20, San Francisco 17

49ers

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker totaled 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup on defense.
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted five times for 188 yards, a 37.6 yard average with three punts downed inside the 20.

Rams

• Eric Weddle, S, Utah: Starting safety posted team-high nine tackles and a tackle for loss on defense.
• Terrell Burgess, S, Utah: Reserve safety played sparingly on defense.
• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Kicked field goals of 30 and 40 yards with two extra points and five kickoffs.
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Practice squad.

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